The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following is the case brief for McCulloch v. Maryland, Supreme Court of the United States,(1819) Case Summary of McCulloch v. Maryland: Congress passed an act incorporating the Bank of the U.S. and opened up a branch in Maryland. Maryland passed a state law that would impose a tax on the federal Bank, which at the time was the only bank […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Gibbons v. Ogden, United States Supreme Court, (1824) Case Summary for Gibbons v. Ogden: Gibbons was granted permission from Congress to operate steamboats in New York. Ogden was granted a license by the state of New York to operate his steamboat in the same manner. Ogden filed suit for an injunction to prevent Gibbons […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Lawrence v. Texas, United States Supreme Court, (2003) Case Summary for Lawrence v. Texas: Lawrence and Garner were arrested for engaging in homosexual conduct at the home of John Geddes. Both men were convicted under the statute making it a crime to engage in sexual intercourse with another individual of the same sex. Lawrence […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Terry v. Ohio, Supreme Court of the United States, (1968) Case Summary of Terry v. Ohio Three men, including Terry (defendant), were approached by an officer who had observed their alleged suspicious behavior. The officer suspected the men were planning to rob the store. After the officer inquired into what they were doing, the […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Brown v. Board of Education, United States Supreme Court, (1954) Case Summary of Brown v. Board of Education: Oliver Brown was denied admission into a white school As a representative of a class action suit, Brown filed a claim alleging that laws permitting segregation in public schools were a violation of the 14th Amendment […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief of Gideon v. Wainwright, The Supreme Court of the United States, (1963) Case Summary of Gideon v. Wainwright: Gideon was charged with a felony in a state that only required the court to appoint counsel in capital cases. After denial of his request to have court-appointed counsel, Gideon represented himself and was convicted. Gideon then […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Miranda v. Arizona, United States Supreme Court, (1966) Case Summary of Miranda v. Arizona: Miranda was taken into custody by police for purposes of interrogation, where he later confessed. Miranda was not informed of his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent or right to have counsel present. Evidence of each confession was used at […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Roe v. Wade, Supreme Court of the United States, (1973) Case Summary of Roe v. Wade: Roe brought suit against Wade, a state official, claiming a Texas law restricting her right to an abortion was unconstitutional The court discussed the different types of interests a state may have at different stages during the pregnancy, […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Plessy v. Ferguson, United States Supreme Court, (1896) Case Summary of Plessy v. Ferguson: Plessy, a Louisiana citizen of African American descent, was asked to move from the Caucasian railway car. He refused. The Committee of Citizen’s challenged the constitutionality of the law on behalf of Plessy, claiming it violated the equal protection law […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Mapp v. Ohio, United States Supreme Court, (1961) Case Summary of Mapp v. Ohio: Mapp’s home was searched absent a warrant. The search yielded the discovery of material classified as “obscene” under Ohio state law. The Supreme Court held that evidence obtained from an unreasonable search and seizure could not be used against the accused […]
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